A financing agreement to support the Cook Islands' sanitation sector has been signed by prime minister, Henry Puna, and the European commissioner for international co-operation and development, Neven Mimica.

Rarotonga is now on Level 3 Water Warning for drought and all residents are requested to cooperate with the Drought Management Plan actions in order to conserve the available water supply. Level 1 is normal and Level 5 is a severe emergency.

In Mangaia, the second largest of the Cook Islands, five young leaders are being trained in organic farming practices so that they can supply their local markets, as well as export their crops to the capital island of Rarotonga, alleviating the country’s heavy reliance on foreign imports. Three of the five participants are women, who were not traditionally farmers on Mangaia.

Tautu village in Aitutaki, Cook Islands now has completed a disaster and climate resilience pilot project. It was developed with support from the Finland-Pacific (FINPAC) Project which aims to reduce the vulnerability of the livelihoods of Pacific islanders to the impacts of climate change through strengthening the Meteorological Services.

Earlier this year, the Cook Islands along with many countries in the world, endorsed the Sendai Framework of Action for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Under this global framework there is a call to “strengthen disaster risk governance to manage risks” as the framework’s fourth priority area.
This study analyses the laws that govern and manage disaster risks in the Cook Islands using the Checklist on Law and Disaster Risk Reduction (the checklist) which was developed jointly by IFRC and UNDP through a global consultation process.

SUVA, 3 November 2015 – The 15,000 people of the Cook Islands, who inhabit 15 islands spread across an area of Pacific Ocean the size of Saudi Arabia, know from experience that a stronger and coordinated approach to disaster risk governance reduces distance and builds resilience.

Cook Islands Meteorological Service, operating under the Ministry of Transport is striving to provide robust and sustainable weather information services to the people of Cook Islands.

And, the head of the Met Service, Arona Ngari shared with his colleagues from around the Pacific region that despite the fact that Cook Islands has been free of cyclone since 2010, his office needs to strengthen and improve its communications and early warning system.

“We need a good and robust early warning system in place,” said Ngari.

15 March 2015, Rarotonga, Cook Islands - The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) was in the Cook Islands this month helping local broadcasters to understand how they can promote and shape resilient development through their daily reporting and to also keep safe and stay 'on air' during times of disasters.

Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 4 March, 2015 - The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is in the Cook Islands this week helping local broadcasters to keep safe and stay 'on air' during times of disasters.

The Cook Islands is one of eight countries that are the focus of a project funded by the Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS). It is coordinated by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).

• Dengue-like illness recognized in October 2014. Five cases reported, and 3 tested positive for DENV 1 (2) and DENV 3 (1) by ILM, Tahiti. All three positive cases had travel histories to Tahiti and Samoa. No further transmissions of DENV.

• Since November 2014 a total of 16 specimens were sent to ILM Tahiti. Seven (7) came back positive for Chikungunya and the rest negative for either Zika or Dengue. Four of these cases had travel history to Tahiti and Samoa. Three were autochthonous.

The issue highlights Shell cleaning in Manihiki, GIZ – SRIC CC Partnership - The project aims to repair community water tanks to harvest and store rainwater which will provide additional water capacity on each of these islands, 50 days for 50 years cycle/walk initiative - This will encourage our people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, lose weight and save on petrol money whilst at the same time reducing our greenhouse gas emission into the atmosphere to which Cook Islands is the highest emitter in the Pacific per capita, Way to Paris - The upcoming meeting in Paris at the end of this year is …